From left, community and business leaders David Gourlay, Shawn Hamilton, Mary Taggart and Chris Taggart at the Rideau Club on Thursday, April 25, 2024, for a special fundraising event for Shepherds of Good Hope's new supportive housing residence and multi-use space at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Alleviating chronic homelessness by providing adequate housing and support not only helps the city’s ailing downtown core but aligns with the principle of doing “the right thing” for the greater good, said Ottawa business leader Shawn Hamilton during a fundraising reception held at the Rideau Club on Thursday in support of Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation.
Hamilton, a principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, spoke before a crowd of business leaders donating to the Shepherds’ campaign to build a new 48-bed supportive housing residence near the ByWard Market. The eight-storey facility, slated to open next winter, will prioritize Indigenous people, women and others struggling with mental health, substance use and other disorders.
It’s widely recognized Ottawa’s downtown is in trouble. “Right now, our downtown is in need of help and revitalization,” said Hamilton. While attempts are being made to breathe new life into the urban core, ongoing efforts require a compassionate approach to helping the homeless population, said Hamilton while calling for strategies that rise above an ‘us versus them’ mindset and that tap into increased empathy. “Today is about making a difference, doing the right thing and providing a path to a solution.”
Shawn Hamilton, principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, co-hosted a reception at the Rideau Club on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s new supportive housing residence and multi-use space currently being built at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Hamilton was joined at the reception by campaign co-chairs, Tamarack Homes and Tartan Homes president Chris Taggart and his wife, Ottawa At Home editor in chief Mary Taggart. The Taggarts are leading the $5-million community campaign to the finish line and, as members of a local business family with deep roots in the region, they have also gifted $1 million through the Taggart Parkes Foundation. The Shepherds’ transitional shelter building at 256 King Edward, which delivers harm reduction and emergency services, was recently renamed Taggart Parkes Family Community Hub in gratitude for their gift.From left, Kyle MacHutchon and Melissa Kruyne from Inverness Homes/Inverness Realty at the Rideau Club with Mary Taggart and Chris Taggart, co-chairs of Shepherds of Good Hope’s $5-million campaign to build a new supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program on Murray Street. Photo by Caroline Phillips
It’s been the Shepherds’ experience that 99 per cent of individuals placed in supportive housing do not revert to a life on the streets. That means the sad and often complicated journey of chronic homelessness should end for the four dozen people who will move into 216 Murray. Added Hamilton: “Not through adversarial means, but by preserving dignity and humanity with warmth and safety.”
The new multi-purpose space will have a brand new community kitchen, referred to in the past as soup kitchens, and a drop-in program that the Shepherds is especially excited about. “This is the first time Shepherds of Good Hope has had the permanent infrastructure to enable those who are experiencing chronic homelessness to have somewhere to go, up to 16 hours a day,” said David Gourlay, CEO of SGH Foundation.
The campaign will be the beneficiary of an upcoming event, Table for Hope, being hosted by philanthropic restaurateur and chef Joe Thottungal this Oct. 1st at the University of Ottawa.
Gourlay was joined by members of his team, including Amber Brannan, who, as manager of philanthropic relations, helped to organize the event at the Rideau Club. Also there was SGH Foundation board chair Mark Roundell, who’s retired from the financial services industry.
On hand to welcome guests to the Rideau Club was Ted Wagstaff, president of North45. The room also heard from Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod, who came to appreciate the strength of community while growing up in the small Nova Scotia town of New Glasgow. “In order to support people through social services, it was actually neighbours who helped neighbours.”
As well, MacLeod touched on the history of Shepherds of Good Hope, which began 41 years ago as a soup kitchen in the basement of St. Brigid’s Church.Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod delivered remarks at a fundraising reception held at the Rideau Club on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in support of the Shepherds of Good Hope’s new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program being built at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The room was full of Ottawa business leaders, from Paradigm Commercial Group of Companies president and CEO Ashley Hopkins to Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall co-chair Aaron Rubinoff to Ottawa Board of Trade board chair Brendan McGuinty to Earnscliffe Strategies principal Mary Anne Carter to Lundy Construction president and CEO Sean Lundy, to name a few. Also in the crowd were Ottawa architect and visionary city builder Toon Dreessen and Dan Gray, the latter of whom is just weeks into his job as the new president of Arnon Development Corp.
While the reception was on the intimate side of things, that won’t be the case next month when more than 500 people meet at the Shaw Centre for the Shepherds’ signature Taste for Hope fundraiser featuring the best in local food and drinks. Tickets for the May 15 event are 80 per cent sold out.
From left, David Gourlay, CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, with key supporters Ashley Hopkins, president and CEO Paradigm Commercial Group of Companies, and Shawn Hamilton, principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, at a fundraising reception co-hosted by Hamilton at the Rideau Club on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Bruce Nicol, former president of Tartan Homes, at the Rideau Club in support of Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation and its 216 Murray Street campaign, which is being co-chaired by Chris Taggart, president of Tamarack Homes and of Tartan Homes, which was acquired by Taggart Group of Companies in 2021. Photo by Caroline PhillipsTaste for Hope volunteer committee member Joanne Kudakiewicz (Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network) and Mark Roundell, board chair of Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, at a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Tim Thomas, a partner at Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall, Amber Brannan, manager of philanthropic relations at Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, and Aaron Rubinoff, co-chair of Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall, at a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program. Photo by Caroline PhillipsMeighan Hartley, director of philanthropy at Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, with Toon Dreessen, president of Architects DCA, at a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, John King, managing broker at Engel & Völkers Ottawa Central, and Ross Meredith, general manager of the Westin Ottawa and Delta Hotels by Marriott Ottawa City Center, at the Rideau Club for a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline PhillipsSean Lundy, owner of Lundy Construction, with Emma Bernans, senior manager of philanthropy at Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, at the Rideau Club for a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Richard Clermont, assistant VP of asset management at Morguard Investments, Brandon Yuke, principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, Arnon president Dan Gray and Will Roantree, an associate at Kelly Santini LLP, at the Rideau Club for a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline PhillipsEvent co-host Shawn Hamilton, principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, and Mary Anne Carter, principal at Earnscliffe Strategies, at the Rideau Club for a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, David Gourlay, CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, and Brendan McGuinty, board chair of the Ottawa Board of Trade, at the Rideau Club for a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline PhillipsJen Arbuckle, broker of record at Metcalfe Realty, and Dan Gray, the new president of Arnon Development Corporation, at the Rideau Club in support of a fundraising reception for Shepherds’ new 48-bed supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline PhillipsOn behalf of the Rideau Club, Ted Wagstafff welcomed guests to the private social club, which was the host venue for a fundraising reception held Thursday, April 25, 2024, in support of Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation and its $5-million campaign to build a new supportive housing residence on Murray Street. Photo by Caroline PhillipsAmber Brannan, manager of philanthropic relations at Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, worked with Shawn Hamilton, principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, on organizing a fundraising reception at the Rideau Club for Shepherds’ new supportive housing facility on Murray Street. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Ottawa architect Toon Dreessen in conversation, during a Shepherds of Good Hope fundraising reception, with construction leader Sean Lundy at the Rideau Club, where views of Parliament Hill could be seen. Photo by Caroline PhillipsSeveral dozen supporters of Shepherds of Good Hope gathered at the Rideau Club on Thursday, April 25, 2024 for a fundraising reception it hosted in support of the non-profit organization’s new supportive housing residence, community kitchen and drop-in program at 216 Murray St. Photo by Caroline Phillips
